NEWS
Lagos APC primary: Why I endorsed Sanwo-Olu – Tinubu
The All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Sunday justified his support for Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress instead of the incumbent Akinwunmi Ambode.
He said he is not supporting Ambode because he ignored the blueprint for progress in Lagos State, thus contravening the spirit of progressive governance.
It was Tinubu’s first statement over the controversy stirred by the APC chiefs and entrenched interest groups in ditching Ambode for the second term. And it came on the eve of the governorship primary slated for Monday.
Tinubu totally ignored the concerns raised earlier at a world press conference by Ambode about the party’s anointed candidate: Sanwo-Olu being jailed in America for fake US dollars and his spending time at a Lagos rehab centre for mental problems.
Tinubu, in his statement, harped on the development master plan his administration bequeathed to the state and lamented how the Ambode administration has jettisoned it for what he called ” ad-hoc schemes of a materially inferior quality”.
He said that such narrowness of perspective has not brought the people closer to their appointed destination.
According to him, it has taken the people farther from that destiny.
”My goal is and shall always be a better Lagos. To this objective, I have dedicated the greater part of my public life. Roughly 20 years ago, a corps of dedicated and patriotic Lagosians, put aside personal interests and rivalries, to put their minds and best ideas together for the good of the state.
”Out of this collaborative effort, was born a master plan for economic development that would improve the daily lives of our people.
”When I was elected governor in 1999, my administration faithfully implemented that plan. The government of my immediate successor, Tunde Fashola, also honoured this enlightened plan.
”Where state government remained true to that blueprint, positive things happened. During my tenure and Governor Fashola’s, Lagos state recorded improvements in all aspects of our collective existence.
”I make no pretence that the master plan is perfect. It can always be fine-tuned.
”However, whenever a government departed from this plan without compelling reason, the state and its people have borne the painful consequence of the improper departure.
”For reasons unknown to me and most Lagosians, we have experienced such deviations from enlightened governance recently.
”However, as a leader of the party and as a former governor of our beloved and excellent Lagos, I would be remiss if I did not make a few observations regarding the primary, ” he said.
Tinubu said that the trend of deviation called for concern as the party primary approaches to avoid irreparable harm that could be committed against the people and their future.
”For the record, let it be known that I shall vote in this primary because I see it as one of extreme import to our state and our party. Just as I shall vote, I equally urge all party members to do so.
”We must vote in a manner that returns Lagos to its better path, the one that promises a just chance for all to enjoy the fruits of our prosperity.
We must always pursue our goal of a Lagos energised by creative dynamism, tolerance of others, and guided by a leadership capable of extending a collegial hand to all stakeholders, far and wide, ” he said.
Tinubu urged the party delegates in the state to vote for the candidate who understands the importance of the blueprint for development.
”I am encouraged by the emergence of a candidate in this primary who has served the state in senior positions in my administration, the Fashola administration and even in the current one.
”While possessing a wealth of experience and exposure, he is a young man endowed with superlative vision and commitment.
”Most importantly, he understands the importance of the blueprint for development. He esteems it as a reliable and well-conceived vehicle for the future development of the state.
”He also knows the value of reaching out and working with others in order to maximise development and provide people the best leadership possible.
”With people like him at the helm, the state will write the proper history for itself.”
NAN.
The party faulted the decision of the electoral umpire in a statement on Saturday by the spokesperson for its Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Festus Keyamo.
Keyamo, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said they received the news of INEC’s decision with “great disappointment and disillusionment”.
“We condemn and deprecate this tardiness of the electoral umpire in the strongest terms possible,” he said.
“President Muhammadu Buhari had since cooperated fully with INEC by ensuring everything it demanded to conduct free and fair elections were promptly made available to it.”
The APC campaign council spokesman noted that the postponement was a disappointment to his party and their supporters across the country.
He, therefore, warned INEC against bowing to the purported pressure of the opposition which he said was not ready for the elections.
According to Keyamo, credible demographic projections have predicted a defeat of the opposition party and it needs the breather to halt President Muhammadu Buhari’s momentum.
“We do hope that INEC will remain neutral and impartial in this process as the rumour mill is agog with the suggestion that this postponement has been orchestrated in collusion with the main opposition,” he alleged.
The council spokesman added, “It is in the light of the above that we wish to appeal to Nigerians and our supporters to be patient, calm and resolute despite this temporary setback.
“Let us not give anyone … the opportunity to plunge this nation into a crisis, which is what they earnestly desire.”
INEC had postponed the general elections by a week, less than five hours to the start of the polls.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced the decision at a short press briefing held at 2:44 am on Saturday morning in Abuja.
According to him, the Presidential and National Assembly elections, initially scheduled for today, February 16, will now hold on February 23, while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections will take place on March 9.
The Independent National Electoral Commission in Nigeria (INEC) on Friday night announced a shift in the general elections dates to February 23 and March 9 respectively.
The new schedule was announced by the Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, early Saturday morning after an emergency meeting with security officials, election observers and other political stakeholders.
He said the postponement was due to logistic and operational reasons.
According to him, the new dates for the elections are 23 February and 9 March for the Presidential and National Assembly, as well as the governorship, state houses of assembly and FCT Area Council elections respectively.
It would be recalled that the Presidential/National Assembly Election was initially billed for today February 16 while the Governorship/States Assemblies election was billed for Saturday, March 2.
According to Prof. Yakubu, “the commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the election is no longer feasible.”
He added that “This was a difficult decision for the commission to take but necessary” for the success of the elections.
The National Assembly had in October last year approved the sum of N242.245bn for this year’s elections.
Out of the amount, INEC got N189bn, while the police was allocated N27.3bn. The DSS got N10.2bn; NSA’s office, N9.4bn; N2.628bn for Nigerian Immigration Service, and N3.573bn for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has issued an arrest warrant against Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria.
At its resumed trial on Wednesday, the tribunal ordered the nation’s security agencies to arrest Onnoghen after he failed to appear before it.
Aliyu Umar, lead prosecution counsel for the federal government, had asked the tribunal to order Onnoghen’s arrest over his refusal to appear before it.
The suspended CJN has not been in court for at least five times since his trial started.
The federal government is prosecuting him for alleged false assets declaration.
Umar, while making an oral application for the arrest warrant, kicked against Onnoghen’s continued absence.
He said both the administration of criminal justice act and the practice direction of the CCT mandates a defendant to be present in court before any proceedings can be conducted in respect of a pending charge.
Adegboyega Awomolo, lead defense counsel, however, kicked against the application.
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